Traveling alone can be an inevitability especially if you are a corporate traveler. Your company will have a strict budget and oftentimes there will be limitations on the travel arrangements, and this often includes just sending one person to another country for work related reasons. But even leisure travelers could be faced with the prospect of “lonesome” travel – although with them it is a choice more than anything.

The prospect of traveling alone can be quite a daunting proposition for any person, whether it’s a man or a woman. But experienced travelers will tell you that traveling alone is a unique experience that amplifies your memories of your trip.

Listen to what the experts say and follow these tips on how to travel alone:

Play to your personality

Travel is as much about personalities – your own. Take into account your personality type when choosing countries to go to. If you’re an extrovert and live for dealing with people then consider going to a country where you speak the language. You’ll have a grand time communicating with the locals. An interesting flipside to this is to go to a place where there are hardly any tourists. You will likely stand out and the locals will give you extra special treatment – which is heaven for an extrovert.

If you’re an introvert then you can be content observing local culture. Staying in cafes is the perfect form of entertainment for introverts because they can observe local life pass by in front of them.

Choose a serviced apartment

Choose to live in a serviced apartment instead of a hotel. Even though a hotel has hundreds of guests, almost all of them are tourists or foreigners like you. Living in a serviced apartment gives you the opportunity to interact more with the locals because these apartments are located in actual neighbourhoods. You’ll be experiencing what most of the locals experience in their daily lives. Although a hostel is designed for solo travelers, you’ll still interact with other tourists. A serviced apartment is really your best option for a great solo traveler experience.

Have a culinary adventure

Don’t rely on fastfood establishments for your sustenance. Most inexperienced solo travelers eat at fastfood joints because they feel more incognito. Revel in the fact that you are traveling alone and dine at restaurant. Not only is it just a great way to experience the country’s culture through food, you’ll also have some peace and quiet and also enjoy the attention of waiters, who are often very accommodating towards solo diners.

Say no

As a solo traveler, you should also be aware that there may be the extremely rare situation where you’ll get some unwanted attention among locals, especially in cultures where tourists are objects of fascination. When this happens you should learn to fend off their attention by learning to say “no” in the local language. You should also learn the non-verbal gestures that mean “no” in the local culture. This is usually more effective than verbal refusal.

Finally, you should always have a copy of the number of the authorities on your phone so you can call them if you experience any problem or want assistance.

Enjoy the fact that you’re alone

You should never think of traveling alone as a source of anxiety. What you should do is embrace it and be thankful for the opportunity of being able to travel in a unique way. Traveling alone means not having to care about what other people think about you, not worrying if you’re taking care of your companions or if you’re being a good travel partner. It is about being comfortable in your own skin in a strange land. It’s the kind of freedom people rarely experience.

By: Derek Gallimore